Chic cocktails started on a stretch of sun dappled road in California driving away from a pitstop to grab a bottle of wine to bring for a friends cocktail party.

Brady Bunte’s companion was looking for an alternative she could bring instead of the classic standby of a bottle of wine. Brady realized there was no solution on offer that really allowed that same sense of confidence an arriving guest has in the simple gesture of handing over a nice bottle of wine to contribute to the hosts home.

The gears set in motion, Brady Bunte went to the drawing board and started 3 years of research and development on what that alternative would look like, taste like and who was most excited by it.

Chic Cocktails opens the door to a vibrant and colorful collection of pre-mixed cocktails made to turn any occasion into one that feels like you are with your own private bartender.

Bunte, along with hundreds of hours and many friends, perfected each recipe to bring that experience to smaller gatherings and out-of-the-way settings that normally would be home to a plastic cup of wine or a can of beer. Suddenly a chic and classic gathering is one bottle away, instead of many mixers, cutting boards, wasteful containers, napkins and time spent cleaning and preparing.

Chic Cocktails is now in its pre-launch phase, with bottles being manufactured and printed, recipes have been formulated, trademarked and national distribution channels are being selected from established Bunte brands already in the market.

The agave plant is the primary raw material to the tequila making process. According to Brady Bunte, this plant has however proven more versatile in terms of being a food source than many would imagine. There are over 200 species of agave plant to be found around the world, with agave tequila being the specific variety grown in Mexico for distilling tequila.

When considering which agave plants can be used for food, it is important to first identify the species. Brady Bunte recommends focusing on spine arrangement, length and shape of the plant to help identify the variety using online resources. Some species that have proven to have edible parts include tequilana, deserti, palmeri, sisalana, and scabra.

Brady Bunte also advises that when considering a plant to try out as a food source, older is better. The level of carbohydrates and sugars in the plant tends to increase with age, making older agave more delicious. Given that the plant can take up to 10 years to mature, it is best to seek out larger and tougher choices that are likely older.

Agave plants typically have three edible parts, the flowers, stalks, and sap. Brady Bunte confirms that the leaves are not often edible, but can be chewed on when cooked and the fibers spat out. Many indigenous tribes in parts of Mexico that have for centuries made use of the agave plant as a food source, have learned what time of year to harvest the varied parts of specific species of agave.

Brady Bunte has found that in summer, agaves often produce large amounts of flowers, which can be boiled and roasted. Natives of the Tehuacan region in Mexico often used the boiled flowers as an ingredient added to scrambled eggs. The flower nectar can also be used to make sauces and agave sugar. Brady Bunte has ascertained that this sugar is very high in fructose and sweeter than honey or ordinary sugar. Less of the agave sugar can be used in cooking than compared with other sweeteners, with the same result. When bottled, it possesses a shelf life of up to two years.

The stalks of the agave plant can be harvested before they blossom in summer and roasted. The results have a sweet, almost molasses type taste. When you take out the stalk, a well is created at the bottom where sap collects. This sap can be used to make tequila.

For species of agave whose leaves are edible, there is plenty of sap to be found in the leaves during winter and spring. Brady Bunte believes that the leaves can be roasted and the chewed on to enjoy the sweet taste, without swallowing the fibers. Alternatively, one can boil the leaves and resulting juice consumed as a soup. If you are unsure as to the palatability of the leaves, boil them and taste the juice. Discard if caustic.

Another way Brady Bunte has established that indigenous tribes ate the plant was by, after talking out the stalk to eat, peeling off the leaves and pit baking the plant. They would dig a hole, line it with bricks, light a fire and once the flames die down, put in the plant and cover the hole to keep in the heat. After a day of slow cooking, the plant would be ready to eat. This kind of task would have been difficult for just one person to undertake given the huge size of older plants.

Brady Bunte issues a word of caution for anyone who intends trying to use the agave plant for food. Careful handling of the plant is necessary, especially the roots, where contact with the sap can easily cause dermatitis. Also, be careful of the sharp points of the leaves, which can cause blood vessels to rupture and serious bruising if they pierce the skin.

At the University of Michigan Matthaei Botanical Gardens, stand the remains of what is believed to be the oldest American agave plant. The agave plant is perhaps best known for being the source of the much loved Mexican drink, tequila. Tequila is however derived from the agave plant. According to Brady Bunte, other types of agave can also be found in certain parts of Mexico and is used in the production of the less popular mezcal called pulque.

In order for this drink to be made, the flower stalk to the agave must be cut just before flowering. This is when the plant directs as much moisture and sugar towards where the stalk would have grown out for flowering. This surge of sweet liquid, called aguamiel, collects at the base of the stalk. When harvested and fermented, the drink turns into pulque. Brady Bunte confirms that this drink dates back to before the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors. It was a sacred drink of the Aztecs and was consumed during rituals to their gods.

Brady Bunte believes that what makes this story so interesting is that under normal circumstances, the American agave plant should mature, flower and die within a 10-25 year period. The University of Michigan American agave however managed an amazing feat by making it to the 80-year mark before flowering.

When the flowering stage was arrived at, Brady Bunte reports that the plant recorded impressive growth spurts from its stalk. Its caretakers noted May last year as being particularly impressive, as the plant would grow as much as 6 inches in a day. This sustained and remarkable gain forced them to take out a pane over the plant to allow it to grow past the conservatory’s ceiling. It is not known what specific environmental factors may have come into play to induce this flowering to take place, although the horticultural manager of the garden believes that being in a conservatory may have played a role in prolonging the life of the plant.

Ordinarily agave plants, once flowered and dying, produce hundreds of seeds so that a few may hopefully survive and see to the continuation of the species. This poor survival rate is attributed to the normally harsh conditions under which the American agave plant grows. According to Brady Bunte, the plants are typically found in desert like areas.

The horticultural manager of the garden stated that the seeds from the pods would be used to create new agave that would however be slightly different. Brady Bunte believes that these seeds will likely give life to new plants with just as long a life cycle as their now deceased parent, if not longer. This means that for many of us reading right now, it is unlikely that we will see the flowering of these plants in our lifetime. It is estimated that this particular plant may have left behind thousands of seeds and plantlets, which the scientists can work on to bring the next generation into being.

Now that the flowering stage is over, the agave plant is dying and Brady Bunte expects it will be removed from the garden this month. Although part of the asparagus family, do not expect to see this plant at your grocery store anytime soon. Brady Bunte however believes that the long yellow edged leaves of the plant may be productively used in rope making. The fibers collected from within the leaves are very strong and were often harvested by indigenous people, including American Indians, to make twine. The agave fibers have also found use in making of carpets, wall coverings, yarns, washcloths and belts.